Mooseckhöhe

The Mooseckhöhe is a mountain standing at 2,129 metres in the Goldberggruppe of the Central Alps. It marks the border between the Salzburg villages of Dorfgastein on the eastern side and Rauris on the western side. Nearby peaks include the Kar-Katzenkopf at 2,154 metres and the Tagkopf at 2,084 metres, while the Wetterkreuz reaches 2,045 metres. The mountain’s slopes feed the Präaualmbach, which joins the Luggauer Bach in the valley below. A long-distance trail, the Salzburger Almenweg, crosses the upland between the Mooseckhöhe and the Tagkopf. Two alpine pastures lie on its flanks: the Präaualm on the south-east and the Mooseckalm on the west. The geology of the Mooseckhöhe consists mainly of phyllite, quartzite and breccias from the Tauern window. A quiet zone for chamois occupies the western slopes above the tree line and is closed to walkers from 1 December to 31 May. Blueberries grow in the stony ground west of the summit, while green alder scrub and sedge meadows appear on parts of the eastern slopes. In the 18th century small copper and pyrrhotine-copper deposits were worked here, leaving only minor traces in the landscape. Visitors reach the summit via the Salzburger Almenweg, which passes the two alpine pastures. The Mooseckalm offers simple overnight accommodation for hikers, while the Präaualm serves as a day-time stopping point with views over the surrounding peaks. From the top the eye travels across the Goldberggruppe to the Hohe Tauern range in the distance. The contrast between the open alpine ridges and the wooded lower slopes gives the mountain a varied character throughout the seasons.